Record numbers at Dublin Zoo

DUBLIN Zoo cemented its place as Ireland’s most popular visitor attraction during 2012 by breaking its own attendance record of one million.

An all time high of 1,029, 417 visitors passed through the zoo’s gates last year, an increase of 2.5 per cent on 2011. It’s estimated that up to 95 per cent were domestic visitors.

The zoo’s continued popularity has been put down to continuous development, new animals and a ten week run of the popular TV series based at the Phoenix Park attraction.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have welcomed even more visitors than last year,

? said zoo director Leo Oosterweghel.

“We would like to thank all our friends and supporters, old and new, who helped us achieve this new record. Reaching one million in 2011 was fantastic but to do it again and add to that number is phenomenal.

“Our success can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of the team at Dublin Zoo. The team continuously strives to enhance the animal habitats while at the same time ensuring that visitors have an unforgettable experience, which is value for money.

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Mr Oosterweghel added that Dublin Zoo really belongs to the Irish people who take great pride in having such a world-class facility.

Dublin Zoo had a busy year in 2012 including the opening of the Asian Forest and the celebration of baby gorilla Kituba’s first birthday. New arrivals last year included a rare bongo calf, a tapir calf, two red panda cubs, two meerkat pups, two snowy owls and a sea lion pup.

Two young Asian lionesses and a bull elephant, Upali, were also added to the collection of animals. It’s expected Upali will mate and help double the size of the Dublin Zoo herd over the coming years.

The Zoo Christmas Special on RTE last month was watched by an average audience of 429,000 viewers.

Dublin Zoo says it plans to continue to develop its offering in 2013, further enhancing the visitor experience and ensuring visitors receive the best value for money.

“Over the past two decades Dublin Zoo has transformed into a world-class centre of learning about wildlife and conservation,

? said Mr Oosterweghel.

“It is also an integral part of more and more European breeding programmes for endangered species.

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Dublin Zoo is a not for profit organisation and is open seven days a week from 9.30am to 4.30pm in January. For further information visit facebook.com/dublinzoo or dublinzoo.ie.